Local Constituency MSP Fiona Hyslop has welcomed projects to encourage greater representation of women in political roles at all levels of Scottish society. The initiatives are to be backed by a new £500,000 fund and have been announced on the 100th anniversary of women securing the right to vote.

Fiona commented;

“This announcement comes on a very important date and I am delighted to support the measures that will see grants provided for grassroots and local projects across the country to empower more women into politics.

“There have only ever been four female MPs and MSPs in West Lothian. Myself and Labour MSP Mary Mulligan for the Linlithgow Constituency, Scottish Government Minister Angela Constance MSP for Almond Valley and SNP MP Hannah Bardell for the Livingston constituency. If we want our Parliament to reflect our people, it is vital that we encourage more woman to get into politics to represent the views and values we hold.

“This anniversary also provides us with a great opportunity to reflect on the women who fought hard to allow women to vote and in particular to suffragette Ethel Moorehouse, who was once imprisoned and force-fed at Calton Jail – the now site of Scottish Government Building St Andrew’s House. I like to think that Ms Moorehouse would have appreciated the fact that the building, now sitting on the old jail site, houses offices not just for 4 female Government Cabinet Secretaries but also for our first female First Minister.”

ENDS

Background
In 1918, the Representation of the People Act was passed, granting the right to vote to women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification. In the same year, the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act was passed, allowing women to become MPs for the first time.
The £500,000 funding will support projects around Scotland aimed at celebrating and commemorating the centenary of women’s suffrage and improving women’s representation in politics. This will include support for Glasgow Women’s Library programme of activity to mark the suffrage centenary.